Sweet, sweet alchemy! I cannot think of a more fitting name for the cute ice cream shop located on the Ave and 43rd in UDistrict.

During my years as an undergraduate student at the University of Washington, Sweet Alchemy was the foundation of my sugary cravings and the antidote to melting heat waves towards the end of spring quarter. My friend introduced me to the shop during my first week of college, and I’ve been an addict ever since. The “homemade artisan” ice cream has an abundance of cool flavors you’ve never heard of, like Earl grey tea, UW honey, and others that change with the season. Lite and organic, the cups and cones of ice cream are satisfying to the core of your sweet tooth while still maintaining an almost-healthy feeling afterwards. Aside from ice cream, they sell delicious sugar cookies, macarons, ice cream sandwiches, milkshakes, and other treats, all made in-house! My friends and my siblings never let an opportunity to stop by for a milli-size scoop of creamy goodness. Let’s get right into the stats of this clever and refreshing store…

Name: Sweet Alchemy
Where: On the Ave in University District, Seattle, WA
Address: 4301 University Way NE Seattle, WA 98105*
Website: http://sweetalchemyicecreamery.com
*Note: according to their website, there are sister locations in Ballard, Lake City, Queen Anne, and Green Lake.

~ What I Ate ~

What did you get?
Pictured in the photo above is a double scoop of both strawberry and sweet cream flavors (I forget the exact names of the flavors) in homemade pink waffle cones to celebrate Valentine’s Day! The photo below includes blackberry and sweet cream flavors in a black cone to celebrate Halloween as well. I love the festive cones and always make sure that my friends and I stop by on their one-day-only, special-edition waffle cones, made in-house.
How did it taste?
Where do I begin?! Just looking at a photo of Sweet Alchemy’s sultry scoops make my mouth water and crave the creamy, soft, tufty feeling of iced and sugared cream on my tongue. The sweet cream flavor, in particular, tastes like faint powdered sugar was mixed with a touch of honey and vanilla, while the fruity flavors refresh my palette and make me feel like I can breathe again! The texture of the ice cream is probably the greatest strength in Sweet Alchemy’s product. The smoothness is not rich, but rather soft. It reminds me of smelling a pleasantly scented dryer sheet — the feeling of cleanliness and peace of mind. As for the waffle cones, they were still warm, as if they had just been removed off of the waffle-cone-maker. Taking a bite of the cone and a bite of the ice cream at the same time is something you need to experience at Sweet Alchemy.
How does it look?
The presentation on these double and triple-scooped cones is remarkable! The little scoops on top are so perfectly round, while the bottom of the pink cones have that drooling, dripping ice cream look that makes the treat so appealing. Visually, the flavors and cones correspond so softly on the eyes, just like the ice cream’s texture. Perhaps some of the credit is due to my friends and I for choosing matching flavors, but nonetheless, the scoopers did a great job of perfectly placing it into the cone without breaking or fracturing it.
How filling was it?
Satisfying, but lite! The ice cream itself is not very filling, but the cones are what satisfies any hungry urges.
Fruits or Vegetables?
The fruity flavors I chose did not have any real fruit chunks inside, but the blackberry flavor did have some tiny berry seeds mixed in. I didn’t mind it at all though! When it comes to desserts, fruits rarely bother me.

~ The Environment ~

Vibe?
Family friendly. Bring your friends, siblings, kids, grandparents, or parents here. Anyone who likes ice cream, bring here!
How should I dress?
Super casual! Shorts and a t-shirt fits this place best!
Bathrooms?
No public restrooms.
Layout & Design?
Wow, this shop really is cute. Let’s start with the awesome floor that is made out of pennies! I’ve always meant to ask the cashiers if they know how many coins are stuck underneath our feet… The shop is small, but includes a bench/seating area near the open windows to sit and lick your ice cream cone. They have sample spoons, and the cup sizes displayed all have interesting names that correspond to small, medium, and large sizes. There is a case of pints and cakes to the left of the ice cream counter, along with some merch hanging around on shelves and behind the counter. They have a trash bin, recycling, and compost! That’s another thing about Sweet Alchemy — all of their ware is compostable! They also provide tiny cups for water if you need to wash down the rest of your waffle cone. Depending on which season it is, you could see little paper hearts hung up around the windows, or autumn leaf decor on the counters near their iPad cashier system.
Service?
Most of the employees at Sweet Alchemy seem to be young, driven, and happy students from UW. I have always had a good experience with the staff. Every time I am rung up, they will ask me fun and engaging questions, and truly seem to care about the customers they are serving. They also handle crowd control extremely classily and patiently during the busy hours. Tip generously, they are hard workers and are always smiling! 🙂
Anything else?
I simply love the story behind the owner’s education and vision. A UW Art graduate student who also studied food science led to an amazing vision of organic, fresh ice cream with compostable waste to help save the planet. What an inspiring and well-executed vision! I support this small business for its amazing product and the good heart behind it.